By Praise Chinecherem
FORMER Parish Priest of St Augustine Catholic church, Omeife, 33”, and now the Parish Priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Awka Etiti, Onitsha Archdiocese, Rev. Fr Paul Obigwe, has disclosed that he inherited N21million debt on assumption as Parish priest of St Augustine church.
He however said he was able to reduce the debt to N10million within two years.
Speaking during the cerebration of his sentforth with Rev Fr Cyril Elochukwu Muokwe, feast of St Augustine and our Blessed Virgin Mary, the priest said he left several legacies in St Augustine parish, expressing optimism that he would always be remembered by the laity as he left them for Awka-Etiti on missionary work.
He said, “I left a lot of legacies, I tried to unite the parish because there are many outstations here and I succeeded in doing that, I laid the foundation of the secondary school that is still ongoing, helped in finishing the father’s house that was not finished when I was here.
“I offset their bills. When I came here, they were owing #21million debt but I brought it down to #10million and so many other things.”
Mr Edwin Mboyi, Vice Chairman Parish Council, in his contribution stated, “We celebrated the birthday of our Blessed Virgin Mary and the sent forth of our former parish priest and Vicar.
“I would have liked them to stay more, but since it is the will of the church, I can’t do otherwise.i advise them to keep on doing the work of God and God’s grace as they work in His vineyard,” he advised.
Also Evangelist comrade Vincent Ezekwueme, Chairman Organizing Committee of the tripartite occasion, said that the two out gone priests played their roles and called on the incoming priests to stand on the achievements of their predecessors , reiterating that nothing is lost when a priest leaves because his tenure is not permanent.
On confrontations he met in making the occasion successful, he said, “,It went as planned, I don’t think there is any obstacle, no rainfall, meaning that God is in support of what we did” he disclosed further.
Augustine Anyalebechi, Chairman of Zone 2, stated that both the out gone priests did very well, adding, ” They left a lot of legacies, the former Parish Priest offset the bills of N21million to N10million,, he also toucheed all the seven zones in the parish, his predecessor left N21million debt and he reduced it to #10million,” he stated.
Mr Christopher Odoh, Assistant Secretay, Parish Council, and lay leaders president, expressed satisfaction with the achievements of the out gone priests and prayed God to guide and protect them in their new place of missionary work.
Rev. Fr Fidelia Chiefe, incumbent Parish priest of St Augustine Parish Omeife 3-3, while praising God for the successful occasion said that, “We celebrated the birthday of our blessed Virgin Mary, the feast of St Augustine, the Patron Saint of our parish and we are in a humble way want to tell our brothers who worked in this parish, thank you for the good work, so that they would feel happy when going to their new assigned parishes.
“This is the work of the church, we don’t expect their departure now but they have to, for the Archdiocese to bring another priests here.
“For the moment, two years, the former parish priest was here, he did well,I and my parishioners are very happy, I advise them and myself to continue to do the work because they are called to take care of the sheep and we have to do our best,” he disclosed.
In his speech, Rev Fr Cyril Elochukwu Muokwe, stated that, “I serve as the resident priest and parish vicar, helping the parish priest to do the work of God. it was going very well, very happy but leaving with a mixed feeling.
“I would have liked to stay more because this is a happy parish, it is work of God and the church has decided that we should leave to another place to continue the good work, so we encourage them to continue the good work, we have seen a lot of evidence in development and also their good lives which is the testimony of what God is doing in their midst.
“The legacy left behind is the cooperation, they gave us maximum cooperation and support, both prayer and finance and being available for us, that moral support is what I believe is the legacy which is because of the faith they have in God,” he affirmed.
